Author: Akash Shah Course: Biology Year: sophomore
Purpose of Unit
The purpose of this unit is for students to learn and explain the role of DNA and RNA in the transmission of genetic information to cells. The students will be able to describe the similarities and differences between RNA and DNA, by understanding the building blocks of these two nucleic acids. Once the students understand the structure of DNA, they will learn and describe the process of DNA replication, which happens prior to mitosis and meiosis.
Using their knowledge from above, the students will learn and explain how the information in the DNA bases is used to create proteins. The students will learn and describe how genetic information is transferred from DNA to RNA (transcription). The students will then be able to describe how a protein can be formed using the information in the RNA bases (translation). The unit will end by allowing the students to explain an example of the utilization of the information in DNA in a real world application.
Learning Standards
GSE: RI LS1-2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the molecular basis of heredity by
-Describing the DNA structure
-Relating the DNA sequence to the genetic code.
Outline, Concept Map, or other Graphical Representation of the Concepts Addressed in the Unit
Lesson Sequence
Day 1: (The information superhighway of the cell) Since differences in traits between organisms are due to the differences in DNA, students will learn about the appearance of DNA within this lesson. As a warm-up, the students will be presented with a picture of Kobe Bryant dunking a basketball. I will ask the students why I cannot dunk the basketball. Using their prior knowledge, the students will drill down to genetics as the reason for this difference. I will then present the students with a sequence of questions about the building blocks of DNA on the white board. The students will research these questions, and volunteers will write the answer on the white board. Students will learn and be able to explain that DNA multiple sequences of phosphate units, nitrogen containing bases, and deoxyribose. The students will reasearch additional questions I ask them by viewing a video about the structure of DNA. After viewing the video, the students will be able to answer questions about the shape and structure of DNA. The students will be able answer questions about base-pairings within DNA. After the watching the video, volunteers will write the answers to the questions on the board. To obtain a better understanding of base-pairings and the structure of DNA, the students will act out the structure of DNA by representing a phosphate unit, deoxyribose, and a specific base.
Day 2: (Copying Information) In this lesson, the students will be able to explain that when an existing cell creates a new cell, the existing cell needs to copy its DNA. The students will learn that DNA replication is initiated when a helicase enzyme unwinds the DNA into two individual strands by using their book to research specific questions. By using their book and watching a quick video, the students will learn that DNA Polymerase allows new nucleotides to bind to the two existing individual DNA strands, thus creating two DNA from one DNA. The students will act out the process of DNA replication and thus explain the roles of helicase and DNA Polymerase in DNA replication, as well as reinforce DNA base-pairing relationships from the previous lesson.
Day 3: (Transcription) This is the third lesson in this unit. Since the body has many proteins, students will learn how the information in DNA's bases is used to create proteins. In this lesson, students will learn that DNA has its own language in its bases. In transcription, the DNA's language is converted into another language (m RNA bases). This is similar to how a Chinese interpreter can translate Chinese into English. Using the book, the students will be able to explain in their notebook that RNA is different from DNA because it has ribose and uracil, not dexoyribose and thymine, respectively. By viewing a video and acting out transcription at the end of the period, the students will be able to explain that RNA Polymerase allows nucleotides of RNA to bind to nucleotides of DNA, subsequently creating a strand of m RNA. Acting out transcription, as well as watching a video will allow the students to explain the base pairings during transcription (uracil binds to adenine. thymine binds to adenine, and guanine binds to cytosine).
Day 4: (I need proteins) This is the fourth unit of the lesson. The students will learn how the information in DNA (first lesson) will be used to create proteins. Specifically, the students will build off of the previous lesson of transcription. By viewing a video, they will be able to explain that the m RNA that is created in transcription moves into a r RNA during translation. The students will also be able to explain that the information in m RNA is in the sequence of triplet consecutive bases, called codons. By watching a video, the students will then be able to explain that transfer-RNA has three bases that bind to a specific m RNA codon, and by doing this, it brings a specific amino acid to the site of translation. The amino acids are then lined up according to the sequence of m RNA codons, and a protein is formed. The students will also deepen their understanding of how the information in m-RNA is used to create proteins by acting out translation.
Day 5: (It's Electric) In this lesson, the students will supplement their knowledge of DNA structure by understanding and explaining how to use a technology that requires the analysis of DNA for real world applications. In this lesson the student will be able to explain what is gel electrophoresis and how is it used to separate pieces of DNA. The students will watch a quick video on gel electrophoresis and then create their own gel electrophoresis. The students will then use this gel electrophoresis to separate a sample of DNA.
Day 6: (Policeman) This is the last unit in the lesson of Nucleic Acids. By previously explaining the role of gel electrophoresis in separating pieces of DNA, the goal of this lesson is to understand a specific real world utilization of the information in DNA. After discussing detective movies that use DNA evidence to solve a mystery, the students will watch a quick video and and be able to explain the function of restriction enzymes (cut up specific sequences of DNA). In a lab activity, the students will also incorporate cut DNA sequences into a gel electrophoresis, and subsequently create a product (migratory patterns of the various DNA sequences from known and unknown DNA samples). Based on the data they created, the students will determine the identity of the unknown DNA and explain how they came to their conclusion based on the analysis of their data.
Assessment Plan
Lesson 1
Formative questions in the opening about genetic differences
Completed questions in the notebook during opening
Completed questions (in notebook) about the structrure of DNA after viewing video
Acting out the structure of DNA to evaluate understanding of DNA base pairing. (rubric will added in near future)
DNA Handout for homework (handout and rubric will be added in near future)
Lesson 2
Formative questions in the opening
Formative questions about Helicase and DNA Polymerase in the engagement
Completed answers to questions in their notebook
Act out DNA replication at the end of the period (rubric will be added in near future)
Complete DNA replication handout for homework (handout and rubric will be added in near future)
Lesson 3
Formative questions about proteins in the opening
Formative questions about the differences between DNA and RNA, which was answered in their notebook
Formative questions about enzyme used to carry out transcription
Formative questions about the base pairings between nucleotides of DNA and RNA during transcription, which were answered in their notebook
Having the students act out the transcription of a DNA code into m RNA (rubric will be added in near future)
Having the student complete a handout for homework that reviews base pairings within transcription (handout and rubric will be added in near future)
Lesson 4
Formative evaluation about the site of translation (used their book to research)
Formative evaluation about the role of transfer-RNA in the formation of proteins by evaluating responses to questions in their notebook as they are watching a video
Students acted out the role of transfer-RNA and m RNA in the creation of a protein during translation (rubric will be added in the near future)
Students will complete a handout for homework that builds on the understanding of transfer-RNA and m RNA in the creation of a protein during translation. (handout and rubric will be added in near future)
Lesson 5
Formative questions about how gel electrophoresis is used to separate pieces of DNA (video)
Formative questions about agar and buffer in gel electrophoresis (lab activity)
Evaluate whether the pair of students had separation patterns of DNA that were consistent with the expected results (lab activity) (Expected separation pattern will be uploaded in the near future)
Summary of lab activity findings and sources of error (homework) (rubric for homework will be uploaded in the near future)
Lesson 6
Formative questions in the opening
Formative question during the engagement (in notebook)
Analysis of lab data in their notebook. (rubric will be added in near future)
Homework question about sources of error within their lab experiment (rubric will be added in near future)
Title: Nucleic Acids
Author: Akash Shah
Course: Biology
Year: sophomore
Purpose of Unit
The purpose of this unit is for students to learn and explain the role of DNA and RNA in the transmission of genetic information to cells. The students will be able to describe the similarities and differences between RNA and DNA, by understanding the building blocks of these two nucleic acids. Once the students understand the structure of DNA, they will learn and describe the process of DNA replication, which happens prior to mitosis and meiosis.Using their knowledge from above, the students will learn and explain how the information in the DNA bases is used to create proteins. The students will learn and describe how genetic information is transferred from DNA to RNA (transcription). The students will then be able to describe how a protein can be formed using the information in the RNA bases (translation). The unit will end by allowing the students to explain an example of the utilization of the information in DNA in a real world application.
Learning Standards
GSE: RI LS1-2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the molecular basis of heredity by-Describing the DNA structure
-Relating the DNA sequence to the genetic code.
Outline, Concept Map, or other Graphical Representation of the Concepts Addressed in the Unit
Lesson Sequence
Day 1: (The information superhighway of the cell) Since differences in traits between organisms are due to the differences in DNA, students will learn about the appearance of DNA within this lesson. As a warm-up, the students will be presented with a picture of Kobe Bryant dunking a basketball. I will ask the students why I cannot dunk the basketball. Using their prior knowledge, the students will drill down to genetics as the reason for this difference. I will then present the students with a sequence of questions about the building blocks of DNA on the white board. The students will research these questions, and volunteers will write the answer on the white board. Students will learn and be able to explain that DNA multiple sequences of phosphate units, nitrogen containing bases, and deoxyribose. The students will reasearch additional questions I ask them by viewing a video about the structure of DNA. After viewing the video, the students will be able to answer questions about the shape and structure of DNA. The students will be able answer questions about base-pairings within DNA. After the watching the video, volunteers will write the answers to the questions on the board. To obtain a better understanding of base-pairings and the structure of DNA, the students will act out the structure of DNA by representing a phosphate unit, deoxyribose, and a specific base.
Day 2: (Copying Information) In this lesson, the students will be able to explain that when an existing cell creates a new cell, the existing cell needs to copy its DNA. The students will learn that DNA replication is initiated when a helicase enzyme unwinds the DNA into two individual strands by using their book to research specific questions. By using their book and watching a quick video, the students will learn that DNA Polymerase allows new nucleotides to bind to the two existing individual DNA strands, thus creating two DNA from one DNA. The students will act out the process of DNA replication and thus explain the roles of helicase and DNA Polymerase in DNA replication, as well as reinforce DNA base-pairing relationships from the previous lesson.
Day 3: (Transcription) This is the third lesson in this unit. Since the body has many proteins, students will learn how the information in DNA's bases is used to create proteins. In this lesson, students will learn that DNA has its own language in its bases. In transcription, the DNA's language is converted into another language (m RNA bases). This is similar to how a Chinese interpreter can translate Chinese into English. Using the book, the students will be able to explain in their notebook that RNA is different from DNA because it has ribose and uracil, not dexoyribose and thymine, respectively. By viewing a video and acting out transcription at the end of the period, the students will be able to explain that RNA Polymerase allows nucleotides of RNA to bind to nucleotides of DNA, subsequently creating a strand of m RNA. Acting out transcription, as well as watching a video will allow the students to explain the base pairings during transcription (uracil binds to adenine. thymine binds to adenine, and guanine binds to cytosine).
Day 4: (I need proteins) This is the fourth unit of the lesson. The students will learn how the information in DNA (first lesson) will be used to create proteins. Specifically, the students will build off of the previous lesson of transcription. By viewing a video, they will be able to explain that the m RNA that is created in transcription moves into a r RNA during translation. The students will also be able to explain that the information in m RNA is in the sequence of triplet consecutive bases, called codons. By watching a video, the students will then be able to explain that transfer-RNA has three bases that bind to a specific m RNA codon, and by doing this, it brings a specific amino acid to the site of translation. The amino acids are then lined up according to the sequence of m RNA codons, and a protein is formed. The students will also deepen their understanding of how the information in m-RNA is used to create proteins by acting out translation.
Day 5: (It's Electric) In this lesson, the students will supplement their knowledge of DNA structure by understanding and explaining how to use a technology that requires the analysis of DNA for real world applications. In this lesson the student will be able to explain what is gel electrophoresis and how is it used to separate pieces of DNA. The students will watch a quick video on gel electrophoresis and then create their own gel electrophoresis. The students will then use this gel electrophoresis to separate a sample of DNA.
Day 6: (Policeman) This is the last unit in the lesson of Nucleic Acids. By previously explaining the role of gel electrophoresis in separating pieces of DNA, the goal of this lesson is to understand a specific real world utilization of the information in DNA. After discussing detective movies that use DNA evidence to solve a mystery, the students will watch a quick video and and be able to explain the function of restriction enzymes (cut up specific sequences of DNA). In a lab activity, the students will also incorporate cut DNA sequences into a gel electrophoresis, and subsequently create a product (migratory patterns of the various DNA sequences from known and unknown DNA samples). Based on the data they created, the students will determine the identity of the unknown DNA and explain how they came to their conclusion based on the analysis of their data.
Assessment Plan
Lesson 1Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
Rationale
Evaluation